6

I fell up the stairs today. Just a few minutes ago, actually. Big toe on my left foot caught on the very top step. Right knee crashed into stair as I twisted my body around to try to not let it hit too hard. Didn't quite work, but at least I didn't fall down the stairs as a result.

it's a luxury

It is exactly 9:19 pm as I start writing this. I am already in bed. There is light still hanging on, over the trees. My mind flashes back to when I was a kid and my sister and I would be complaining of how unfair it was to have to go to bed when there was still light in the sky and the kids down the street got to stay out...blah blah blah.

The look on their faces as they told us to pack it in and head to bed.

I think they were looking for a time to connect, without us, as well as teaching us that it truly is a luxury to get to go to bed early. We didn't believe it then, but I believe it now.

How luxurious is it to be lying in bed while the sounds of pots and pans being washed in the kitchen ring through the air? Extremely.

How decadent is it to read at night, the breeze blowing in the window, and absolutely no animals on bed with me? Thoroughly.

the zucchinis begin

This is our first zucchini of the season. It was perfect. The right size, the right texture, the right amount of firmness to the meat. We paired it with some fresh garlic (also from the garden), some onion, and pasta. It's a recipe our friend told us, as it's a staple in their half Italian house. Her husband is Italian. So you saute' the veggies (I started with the onions, added the garlic, then added the zucchini, allowing each to have some time to cook before the next was added, sprinkle with salt and some white pepper). While that was happening Kev was grilling some chicken tenders to the perfect moistness and the pasta was on the stove boiling.

When pasta is done, drain. Add veggies to pasta pan, two eggs, a good sized handful of Parmesan cheese, return the pasta and stir like crazy (essentially cooking the eggs). We added the chicken to the top of our bowls of pasta.

After yoga Kev rode his bike down to the store and got a small baguette to share. It was an amazing dinner. It's pretty basic, but downright filling.

my boss's wife

I got an email this morning from Wendy (Ahmed's wife) asking about a work picnic/send off for their daughters (they now have two in college...damn, I feel old when I think about how old they were when I met them). The date was going to be while we were in Arkansas visiting Mamasita and Daddy Walter.

So, what does Wendy do? Figure out a date when I can be there. I adore her...

Vegas this weekend, so I may be out of the blogging loop for a little while (like I've not already been recently). Perhaps upon my arrival home fun things will have happened and I will feel like blogging about said fun things. Things right now, a bit boring (well, except that my dear friend is moving home this weekend and I'm extremely excited about her arrival home!!)

Now, must get myself dressed and ready for going downtown to pick up the permit for that friend so she can block off a parking spot for unloading her truck on Sunday (rats, I'll be in Vegas and unable to help with the unloading...but my representative [aka Kev] will be here).

as promised

The muffins were met with great gusto from all involved. So, as promised... here is the recipe.

One of the reviewers at that site suggested using brown sugar for the topping and I did. I would do so again and again and again. :)

the awesome power?

One would think that if the scent of freshly baked *blueberry muffins was wafting through the house that it would wake all that were still sleeping with its siren call.

One might even think if that scent was sent via text message that the recipients would text back immediately saying, 'yes! Yes! YES! Please I would love some.'

However, none of the three men whom were accosted by the scent or offering up of these amazing blueberry muffins (still haven't taken a bite, but they smell damn good) have stirred or responded. I suppose they are all lazy and still in bed? It is Sunday.

It's okay, really. I plan on taking the boys across the street some anyway. I just figured Ian's drapes were open and Bret should be waking soon. Kevin's sleeping through the actual scent though, it's a little mind boggling. Although he did get home rather late last night. He played Halo 3 with a friend while the girls all went to see Aimee Mann. What a great show. What a great night. Thanks, girls!

Blind Pilot opened for Aimee. They are a local band here in Portland and this makes me happy. Because I will have more opportunities to see them again. And they make me happy. I love finding new music. I don't seek it out often, but when I stumble upon someone, it makes me...well, happy.

Hope everyone has been having a lovely weekend. I know we have. We're going to be heading to Jill and Mark's in a few hours for a late lunch.

*if they turn out as good as they smell, i will direct you all to the link where i found the recipe.

they promise me it's not a weed

I asked my fabulous neighbors, as this thing was just a wee sprout, if they thought it was a weed. They said it was not, so I left it alone to grow and become huge. Part of me felt that they were just messing with me. Until I investigated a bit further this evening.

How appropriate is it that a girl who grew up in Kansas has a sunflower growing in her front yard? Bret is trying to get me to plant a ton along the parking strip so it almost creates a wall when they are grown in. I'm content with having a single one come up.

The front needs some attention. We're hoping to get some work done on it this weekend. We've got a few ugly things growing that I know are weeds and we need to get them before they get us.

8 mile ride

Yesterday I worked at the second furthest store from our house. It's about 8 miles, round trip. In an effort to not spend money and not be wasteful of the gas we'd just put in our tank, I decided to ride my bike into work. I had butterflies in my stomach before leaving in the morning and my guts were twisted all day in anticipation of the ride home.

The ride there was pretty tame. Down some hills, up some inclines. Nothing too hard or strenuous, although I did arrive to the store sucking wind. It took me 21 minutes to get there. The ride home was a bit more daunting. There were hills (one of which I had already given myself permission to hop off the bike and walk up) and there was heat. My face was flushed for quite some time after getting home. That ride took just under 30 minutes. Not too bad, if you ask me.

Kev was pretty proud of me. I was, too.

So today I am getting picked up by my coworker and we are going to look at Spring/Summer 2009 styles at our reps house. He will cook us lunch and it will be wonderful. After that we head back to the office where we are meeting another rep. All in all, it will be a fun day...although maybe Kev and I will have to go on a bike ride tonight when I get home. I did lose .8 pounds yesterday. :)

so warm, but must blog

It's 90 F outside right now. For here, that's warm. In fact, that's downright hot. There is a breeze so I suppose that I shouldn't complain. However, our house isn't arranged so we can get a lovely cross breeze across the house. No two rooms have doors adjacent to one another except our room and the guest Chloe's room. And the front three windows in our bedroom do not open. Those are the windows that face the door, and consequently the other room.

We're thinking that next summer may just have to be the summer of window replacement. I love the architecture of the windows. So I will keep them and perhaps do something amazing in our backyard with them...oh the ideas that swirl in my head.

With that being said, I must adjourn to the basement now. It's lovely down there (as long as Kev isn't playing drums).

houston, we have carrots

I know I've used the Houston, we have... title before, but for the carrots, it just felt right.

I'm pretty jazzed that I had three carrots ready to harvest. They are baby carrots, so smaller than what you might expect to see, but I am anticipating their sweetness. I will wash them up (per Ian's instructions as I held them up to show him from across the yard) and eat them for lunch. We may not have a ton out there, but lucky for me it's enough for this girl. Kev doesn't like carrots so I won't even force them on him (plus I think they are going to be so damn good and he really would like them and that would mean less for me). Actually I don't know if he really would like them. I think he'd say they were better than store bought baby carrots (which are really just large carrots that have been cored) but I still think he wouldn't be into them.

So, here you have them...my first carrots.

title unknown

Tonight we are having three couples over for dinner. Only two of the people coming over have met each other. I think it is going to be a good mix of people. We're grilling out and the weather has cooperated perfectly. We've cleaned the house (ugh, I hate bathrooms) and have the kitchen as far along as it will be for a little while.

I even picked a few flowers to make my kitchen even happier. The daisies are looking a little sad outside. They got too top heavy and everyone took to lying down (lazy daisies). We have now used some twine and pulled them up, but now it looks pretty funny. I'm not sharing those photos (in fact, none have been taken).

My mind has been working on what room we'll decorate after we're done with the kitchen. I'd like to finish the hallway and our bedroom (as well as the kitchen) before our families start visiting. We are hoping Kev's Dad and wife will be joining us in September. My family is all coming in November. Not sure when Kev's Mom and her husband will be getting out this way again. Hopefully this year (although we're going to see them in August). I've already started with the sketches of our bedroom. The pain in my ass is I can't find my colored pencils. I am pretty sure I took them out of the box they were packed in for moving, but I can't remember what I did with them. I've checked every logical place and nothing. I will look at work tomorrow.

But today, we get ready for a BBQ with our friends. Should be interesting since three are vegetarian and one is vegan (two of the vegetarians used to be vegans until recently) . We are serving burgers and telling them to bring what they'd like to grill. Everything else is vegan/vegetarian. I am hoping to send home two of the couples with some romaine. :)

cuz i like lists

1. Pick a paint color and paint
2. Cut trim, stain and install
3. Attach door and drawer pulls to cabinetry
4. Find dresser to use as a microwave stand
5. Have table and bench made
6. Hang vessels in some artistic way (these really cool orb things from Ikea)
7. Remove shelves to left of cabinets over stove to make space for cookbooks (best idea ever, Jill!)
8. Get new dishes (donate old)
9. Get new flatware (donate old)

Enjoy the hell out of the kitchen

Perhaps not in that exact order

carnage and orts

We had an amazing, albeit not the healthiest, dinner last night.

And it was gooooo-oood! I decided to add nothing to the butter. We had three between the two of us.

My question is this though, where to artichokes fall in the world of food. It's not a vegetable, is it? I mean, it's sold in produce sections of grocery stores, but it really is a flower bud.

We're going to head down to Aurora today to take a look at an old dresser that, if it meets expectations, it will be coming home with us to use in the kitchen for the microwave and storing all the tuberware, etc. I am hopeful that it will make it home with us.

We also have to go to Ikea to exchange one handle I purchased for the cabinets. We decided to hang them differently than I'd imagined so the larger will work on the door.

After Ikea, we must go to a hardware store to get the screws for affixing the handles to the cabinet doors in the kitchen. I think we also have spoken of getting more paint chips since Kev's not a fan of the one I am in love with. We'll see if we find any others that grab my attention even more. We must get a miter box as well, to cut the trim we have to finish off some edges. Already have the stain to match the cabinets we have.

When we get home from these adventures, we must do something to help our shasta daisies stand upright (they are all so tall...almost as tall as I am...and are falling over). We also have to clean the hell out of the house. It's gotten a wee bit messy with the kitchen reno happening. Now that we're nearing the painting time, we must get it under control.

We woke last night to the most beautiful and loud thunder/lightening storm. Josie didn't even blink. I was amazed as I lay there in bed watching the light show, listening to the thunder following closely behind. It was just like being back in the midwest. Probably the biggest thunder storm we have had since moving here 8 years ago!

the knitttahs will know

I got mine.

Have you?

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